Swivel lamp-holder.



C. N. SOWDEN.

SWIVEL LAMP HOLDER,

APPLICATION FILED Nov.1,1912.

Patented 001;. 14, 1913.

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w/mfssfs C. N. SOWDEN.

SWIVEL LAMP HOLDER.

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ATTORNEYS C. N. SOWDEN.

SWIVEL LAMP HOLDER.

APPLICAToN FILED Nov. 1. -1912.

ATTORNEYS l uw CHARLES N. SOWDEN, OF GUANTNAMU, CUBA.

SWIVEL LAllrIP-HOLDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented ooe. 14,1913.

Application filed November 1, 1912. Serial No. 728,977.

T0 alt whom 'it may concern Be it known that l, 'CHARLES N. SownnN, a citizen ci' Canada, at present residing at Guantnamo, Santiago de Cuba Province, Cuba, have invented a new and Improved Swivel Lamp-Holder, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates` articularly to swivel lamp holders adapted to be mounted on an automobile, locomotive, or other vehicle, and having means whereby the lamp or lamps ma be automatically turned in the direction 1n which the vehicle is turned.

In my invention I provide, in connection with a no vel arrangement of the automatic actuating-means for turning the lamp from a relatively movable part of the equipage, a. manually-controlled acting means; and furthermore provide for connecting and disconnecting the automatic actuatingmeans, so that said actuating means may respond to the movements of a part of the equipage to which they are connected, but Without turning the lamp'. I provide for causing the manually-controlled actuating means 'to make and break the connection between the lamp holder and the automatic actuating means.

Furthermore, in dcsigningthe preferred form of the invention it has been my object to improve devices of the general character indicated, to the end that eliciency in` operation may be promoted as well as economy ot' manufacture and simplicity of adjustment and control.. 1

The distinguishing features of my inven tion, and the important structural elements characterizing the preferred embodiment which is illustrated as an example, will bc more particularly explained in the specifi@ description hereinafter to be given.

Reference is to be had to .the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reterence indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a side elevation, essentially diagrammatic, of a locomotive having my invention applied to the holder and actuating means for supporting and turning the headlight; `Fig'. Z is a plan View, largely diagrammatic, of the parts shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a plan view on a larger scale of the lamp-supporting and actuating means, Darts being broken away and others in sec tion; Fig. 4 is a longitudinal vertical section of the parts shown in Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view of one of the drums for the actuating ropes; and Fig, 6 is a frOnG. elevation showing the invention applied to a locomotive.

In constructing the illustrated example 0f my invention, and applying the `Seme t0 a locomotive, the headlight A maybe of any suitable form su ported at the front of the locomotive B, tile lamp-supporting means including actuating ropes or other flexible elements having connection with the tender C, or other part of the e ulpag Which iS movable relatively to the amp support to automatically turn the light as the locomotive turns. I furthermore rovide manually cont-rolled means extending to'the cab D of the locomotive whereby the engineer may turn the light and may cause the automatic actuating means to be thrown out of operative connection with the lamp holder.

In the specific form of the invention a bracket 10 has secured thereto a horizontal bed 11, on which is mounted a turntable 12, having suitably Ysecured thereto a platform 13, which receives the headlight A, or other lamp. A spindle 14 in the form of a, bolt extends from the bracket 10, through the bed 11, turntable 12 and into or through the platform or base 13 of the lamp, so that the spindle forms the axis of rotation of the turntable and the base 13. On the bed 11 an arm 15 is provided, on the outer end of which a block 16 is supported for transverse sliding movement 1n an arcuate path; inthe form shown the arm has a dovetail groove 'l5al and the block 16 a dovetail base 16a, Secured to the block are operating cords 17, or other flexible elements which extend in the form shown to a drum 18 supported on'a bracket 19 on the locomotive B, and in fixed relation to the drum 18 is a larger drum 18l on which a cord 2O winds, said cord passing over suitable guides or idlers 21 on the locomotive and extending to a suitable connection with the tender C, as indicated at the point 211. It will be undcrstood that the connection of the rope 21 may be with any other part of the equiv age between which and the locomotive an the lamp there is a relative movement when the locomotive or other vehicle turns to the right or left. Thus, if the locomotive turns to the right, it is obvious that tension -will be placed on the cord at the left hand side of the locomotive, and a pull to the left will be given the block 16, so that the headlight A will be turned to the right.

In addition to the automatic actuating means a manually-controlled means is provided, consist-ing of a rope 22 at each side and extending from the cab D within reach of the engineer to a connection with the outer end of the lever 23 fulcrumed as at 24 on the bracket 25 on the turntable 12, at a pointI intermediate the ends of the lever, one arm 26 of the lever being adapt-ed to control a latch 27 carried by an arm 23 on l the turntable 12. The end of thelatch is adapted to enter a notch 161 in the block4 16, and from a lug 29 rising from the latch 27, extends a spindle 30 having guided movement in a vertical lug 31 on the arm 28. A spring 32 on the spindle 3l) abats at one end against the lug 31 on the arm 28, the spindle having a nutvor nuts 33 for exerting pressure on the outer end of the spring, to regulate its tension.

By the described construction, when the latch 27 is in engagement with the block 16, said block is obviously locked to the turntable 12, and is thus in fixed relation to the base 13 of the headlight', so that a pull on either rope 17 in response to a pull on the rope 20 havingl connection with the tender, will cause the block 16 to slide on the arm 15 and. automatically turn the headlight whenever the locomotive turns to the right. or left. If, however, a. pull is given on either rope 22, which is under the control of the engineer, the first result will beto cause the lever 23 on which the pull is exerted to release the latch 27 from the block 16, by the end of the lever arm 26 engaging the lug 27 on the latchythe result will be to leave the block 16 free to respond to a pull on either rope 17, without turning the headlight. If a further movement be given the lever 23 by a continued pull on the rope 22, the headlight will be turned by the bodily movement of the lever, and with it, the turntable 12 and the supported headlight.

In order to return the headlight to a neutral position after having been turned in either direction, a spring device is provided,

` which in this instance consists of a curved coil spring 34 seated horizontally in the upper surface of the bed 11, the said bed having a stop 35 secured thereto, as by a screw 36, the stop being located between washers 37 against which the ends of the spring 34 abut. A depending lug 38 on the under side of the turntable 12 projects downwardly into a groove '35 in the stop 35 and is adapted to contact with either washer 37, according to the direction of movement of the .turntable, so that the turning of the latter in either. direction places the spring 34 under compression, giving the same a tendency to 1 return the headlight to the neutral position with the lng 38 in register with the stop 35.

Desirably ball bearings 39 may be provided between the turntable 12 and-the bed 11. lt is to be understood, however, that I do not make-claim herein to the ball bearings nor to the described arrangement of the spring and stop.

Referring to Fig. 5 and to the lett hand side of Fig. 3, the combined drum 18, 18, turns around a hub 40, on one end of which is a stud 19a secured to the bracket 19 by a nut 19h. A similar stud 19C on the other side of` the hub li() having a nut 19d, retains the combined drums in place at the side opposite the bracket 19. 'At one side of the hub 'i0 a bearing plate 11 is provided and a pin 42 is employed, passing through the bracket 19, plate 42 and into the. hub 40, andsecuring these parts in fixed relation. Any other suitable means may be employed to rota- 'tably mount the drums, Between the periphery of the hub 40 and the inner periphery of the drum 18a, I provide a` coiled spring 1-3, fastened respectively to the hub l10 and drum 13a, as at 43a, 43"; the tendency of the spring 43 is to take up any slack in the ropes 17, 20, and keep the same under tension so as to prevent undue slack bctween the tender and the idlers 21 on the locomotive.

I wish to state in conclusion that although the illustrated example constitutes a practical embodiment ot my invention, i do not limit myf-elf strictly to the mechanical details herein illustrated, since manifestly `the samecan be considerably varied without departure from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Pntenm- 1. A lamp-supporting means, comprising a turntable, a support on which said table may turn, a block having transverse movement on said supporting member, flexible elements connected with said block and adapted for connection with parts of a ve- \'hicle, to be actuated by the latter, and a latch for establishing connection between the block and the turntable.

2. ln a lamp holder, the combination with a support, a turntable on the said support, a member adapted to move transversely on said support, cords connected with said transversely moving member to actuate the same in opposite directions, a latch carried by the turntable and movable into engagement with the transversely moving member to cause said member and the turntable to move in unison, lever devices for releasing the latch, and means for operating said levers.

3. The combination in a lamp holder, of a support having an arm extending therefrom, a turntable adapted to support a.

lmnp, :i block mounted to move in :in arcuate i support, a latch device norn'mlly connecting 15 mili mi @nid arm, n lziich carried by thel uintzible. les'ers extending in opposite directions und adapted to disengage the latch from the block. spring-actuated means tending' to engage the latch with the block, 0pvifiiiing cords extending in opposite directions from the block and adapted for connection with parts of a. vehicle, and manu- :illy-wntinlled cords extending from the sind levers.

4. The combination in a lamp holder, of :L Support, a. lamp holder adapted t0 turn ou said `Vupport, a1 movable member 0n said the lamp holder with the said movable meniber, a manuallywcontrolled turning means for the lamp holder, and :i latchfelezisng device operable to release the latch when the Said manunlliY controlled turning means is actuated.

ln testimony whereof I have signed my name to this Specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHAR-ILES N. SUWDEN. Witnesses lnwIN l). ARTER, C. F. FERRY. 

